Talks end for the day with a deal closer than ever

Posted by Mike Florio on July 14, 2011, 11:54 PM EST

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After smoking a cigar and drinking a beer for the first time in 15 years to celebrate the coming labor deal, I returned to the official PFT laptop to see if there’s any reason to temper the growing sense of optimism.

The closest thing to the latest cup of cold water came from Ravens cornerback and NFLPA* Executive Committee member Domonique Foxworth, who had this to say to Albert Breer of NFL Network as Foxworth was leaving the site of the negotiations: “All the reports that are floating around, there really is no deal until our players approve it.”

He’s right. The players must approve it. Specifically, at least 50 percent plus one must accept its terms by agreeing to reformulate the union.

But the reality is that, if even the terms of the March 11 offer were submitted to the players for a vote today, at least 50 percent of the players plus one would vote for it.

And so all signs continue to point to a deal being reached. But we’ll keep watching for the cold water. After another cigar, and a couple more beers.

Unidentified middle aged male found floating in chilly waters of local river. Mediterranean extraction. Witnesses say he may have had too much to drink and was having a coughing fit when he pitched head first into the stream.

‘Bout time, dudes. This should have happened WEEKS ago! Let’s just hope that it does get done in time for rookies to report within two days of the ratification of the CBA and that the vets report to camp on time and in football shape. Otherwise, they’re risking a lot of injuries and that would be a tragic side effect of all this legalistic b.s. which should have been shelved weeks ago.

ROTFL. How is it that football players who are paid to work out and throw around a ball can sit on an “executive committee” and be taken seriously? This is like an auto mechanic being the prosecuting attorney in a Wall Street financial crimes trial.

In the end, it was all about the $. The fans will end up paying the bill on this one. It might not happen next year, but maybe the following. I expect my season tickets to go up. Concessions are probably gonna go up this year. We’re going to miss the days of $8 beer. And as much as I hate to say it, I will pay the price for them, and continue to be a fan that the owners and players get fat on.

If you don’t like the cost of the food they sell at stadiums, eat before you go there. And encourage others to do the same. Trust me, if enough people stop buying the food at the stadiums, they’re going to have to lower the prices.

I am not sure all fans currently care. I am sure all the players and owners hope that all the fans will return to normal once we are done being jerked around. None of them wanted practice, or even preseason. Once money was being lost…THEN was the time to really start negotiations. Sooner or later, fans will see it as a business too. Good luck repairing that.

I predicted approximately 2 1/2 weeks ago that the strike would be over. Obviously it’s been a little longer but who cares as long as the strike ends. I am not saying I am omnipotent, I am not saying I am Nostradomus. What I am saying is that common sense tells us a deal would get done, why?, because it would’ve been complete genocide for both parties and a loss of a great deal of money and that simply doesn’t have to be. If the strike lasted any longer where the preseason was affected then we could all kiss our asses goodbye on this entire season. But I am very happy to say that as a student and lover of the NFL and college football…….we’re back and more power to all of us football lovers! P.S. Give yourselves a pat on the back for hanging in there!